Kashmir unrest: Separatists call for strike on Friday in protest against killing of youth

Srinagar: The separatists on Wednesday gave a call for a strike and peaceful protests in Kashmir on Friday against the killing of a youth during a clash between stone-pelters and security forces in Shopian district on Tuesday. They also called for a march to the house of the deceased student Adil Magray to express solidarity with the bereaved family.

File photo of Syed Ali Shah Geelani. AFP

The two factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF also asked people to stage protests against the "Indian electronic media" for promoting "prejudice and bias" against Kashmiris and the recent raids conducted by National Investigation Agency aimed at "intimidating and defaming leadership and freedom movement" in the state.

In a joint statement, chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, head of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik called for peaceful protests after Friday prayers against the killing of Magray.

Magray, a student, was killed during a clash between stone-pelters and security forces who had launched a cordon-and-search operation in a village in Shopian district of south Kashmir last evening to flush out hiding militants.

The operation was obstructed by the local residents who took to streets and indulged in stone-pelting on the forces allowing the holed up militants to flee. "Peaceful protests will also be held against the Indian electronic media's propaganda war against the people of
Kashmir and the prejudices and biases against Kashmiris being promoted by them," the statement said.

"People will also protest the recent illegal NIA raids conducted on pro-freedom activists and traders to intimidate and defame leadership and the freedom movement and to damage the state's economy," the separatists said.